Detonating-fuse



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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD C. Corn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of lVoodbury, in the county of Gloucester and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Detonating-F use, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new detonating fuses and comprises a detonating fuse (socalled cordeau) in which the detonating composition consists essentially of a mixture of 2.4.(ltrinitrophenyl-methyl-nitramm (tetryl) and trinitrotoluene.

Hitherto, cordeau has been made by filling a metallic (usually lead) pipe of suitable size, say 1}" diameter, with molten trinitrotoluene, allowing this to solidify and subsequently reducing the diameter of the plpe by passing through a series of rolls. In place of the trinitrotoluene, other explosives, such as picric acid, have been suggested. Practically all of these other explosives, however, are diflicult to work with since they melt at a relatively high temperature and hence are not capable of easy manipulation, or they form undesirable sensitive salts with the metallic envelop. T rinitrotoluene alone makes fairly satisfactory cordeau but unless the trinitrotoluene is absolutely pure, the cordeau deteriorates with age, becoming insensitive to detonation and eventually incapable of propagating detonation and hence useless for the various purposes for which cordeau is used. Furthermore, pure trinitrotoluene is difiicult and expensive to make.

I have discovered that by substituting for pure trinitrotoluene a mixture of trinitrotoluene and tetryl, cordeau may be manufactured which has many advantages over cordean made with trinitrotoluene alone. The proportions in which I may use tetryl and trinitrotoluene are capable of wide variation. I may with advantage use as little as 2% tetryl or as much as 75%.

The effect of tetryl is to raise the velocity pf detonation of the cordeau and also to avoid the deterioration which occurs when cordeau is made with trinitrotoluene alone. Another advantage in the use of tetryl is that I am able to use an inferior grade of trinitrotoluene which is more easily and cheaply produced than pure trinitrotoluene.

By varying the percentage of tetryl, I am able to produce cordeau having various ve- 7 Patented June 1, 1920.

Application filed June 4, 1819. Serial 310.801,?71.

locities of detonation. Cordeau made with trinitrotoluene alone will have a velocity of detonation of from 5000 to 5500 meters per second. lVith various percentages of tetryl, velocities of detonation from 5500 to 6800-meters per second are obtainable.

Tetryl alone cannot be used in cordeau with complete satisfaction because it decon1- poses at or slightly above its melting point and hence cannot be easily manipulated in the manufacture of cordeau.

The manufacture of cordeau according to my new process may be illustrated by the following specific example :Trinitrotoluene is melted and tetryl in suitable proportions is thoroughly mixed therewith; if desired the ingredients may be mixed together in the solid condition and then melted. The proportions which I prefer to use ordinarily are 80 parts of trinitrotoluene to 20 parts of tetryl. The resulting fluid mixture is then introduced into a lead pipe of about 111' diameter, and allowed to solidify therein. The pipe is then passed through a series of rolls until the diameter of the pipe has been reduced to the desired extent.

Tetryl is soluble in trinitrotoluene to the extent of somewhat more than 50%. In addition to this 50%, approximately 25% more may be suspended in the solution of tetryl and trinitrotoluene, thus forming a mush, which can still be handled as a liquid and hence can be easily manipulated in the operations incident to the manufacture of cordeau. Increasing the percentage of tetryl has the effect of making the mixture more sensitive to detonation and of raising its velocity of detonation. V

The new cordeau detonant, and especially that containing about 20 of tetryl, has the following advantages: (1) It is safe to work with; (2) it is easier to manipulate during the rolling operation than cordeau made with trinitrotoluene alone; (3) it has a higher velocity than cordeau made with trinitrotoluene alone ;'and (4) it does not deteriorate on storage as is the case when trinitrotoluene alone is used.

I claim:

1. A detonating fuse having a detonating mixture comprising trinitrophenyl-methylnitramin and trinitrotoluene.

2. A detonating fuserconsisting of a metallic tube containing a detonating mixture comprising trinitrotoluene and trinitorphcnyl-methyl-nitramin, the latter forming from 2 to 75% of the mixture.

3. A detonating fuse consisting of a metallic tube containing a detonating mixture comprising about 80 parts of trinitrotoluene and about 20 parts of trinitrophenyl-methylnitramin.

4. A fuse detonant comprising trinitropheny1-methy1-nitramin mixed with trini- 10 trotoluene.

5. A fuse detonant comprising a homogenous mixture of trinitrophenyl-methy1-ni tramin and trinitrotoluene, the amount of the former being from 2 to 75% of the mixture.

6. A fuse detonant comprising a mixture containing trinitrotoluene and about 20% of trinitrophenyl-meth l-nitramin.

In testimony whereo I aflix my signature.

WILLARD G. COPE. 

